Phishing is what happens when cybercriminals send out seemingly legitimate-looking emails and social media messages with the intent of tricking the recipient into providing confidential information that can be used for fraud. Examples include passwords, usernames, credit card or bank account details.

The Federal Trade Commission recently issued an alert on disaster email scams that cite the recent earthquakes in Ecuador and Japan. The scam emails that are circulating may contain links or attachments that direct users to phishing or malware-infected websites.

Another high-profile cyberattack made the news recently, this time against MedStar Health. In this ransomware attack, the hackers demanded the equivalent of $18,000 in Bitcoins in exchange for the restoration of their systems.